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That has served the 60-year-old Peterborough resident very well as an author and, since 1985, as president of the Ontario Accommodation Association, Canada's largest provincial organization catering exclusively to innkeepers.

While on the surface it would seem the two activities at the centre of Mr. Gravel's life are very separate from one another, nothing could be further from the truth.

At the heart of all three of his Humour On Wry books, as well as Inn-Sanity: Diary of an Innkeeper Virgin, are stories that have been related to him over the years by association members. He changes the names and adds his own creative spin to the tales but there's a basis of truth to most. And that makes them even more entertaining.

"Writing is a compulsion...I love it," enthuses Mr. Gravel.

"I like to say I paint with words. I'm very particular about the words I use and structure. I didn't take any writing courses but I've always loved to read."

Mr. Gravel has painted very well. His books, available on Amazon as well as locally at Chapters, Craftworks, Whetung in Curve Lake and Happenstance in Lakefield, sell well enough that they pay for themselves with some left over. And he's written for various publications, including Maclean's and The Globe&Mail.

"My writing approach, my philosophy, is newspapers are so full of bad news. I try to always be upbeat in my writing. Keep it light and fun for people.

"My writing, my style of humour, has been compared to that of (best-selling author and Vinyl Cafe CBC radio host) Stuart McLean. That's very nice of people to say but I'm embarrassed to say I had never heard of him. I've since read a couple of his books."

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Born and raised in Quebec in the Montreal suburb of Dorval, Bruce Gravel attended McGill University, majoring in history with English as a minor. When he graduated in 1979, he and wife Francis had been married five years.

"We emigrated to Canada in 1980 when the PQ (Parti Quebecois) got in for the second time," laughs Mr. Gravel.

Settled in the Toronto area, the couple welcomed son Scott in 1983. Mr. Gravel, meanwhile, eyed a new direction career-wise.

"No one was hiring teachers, so it was time to go another route," note Mr. Gravel.

Plan B saw him pursue an education in association management. He did just that, attaining the designation of Certified Association Executive (CAE). Basically, he says, that designation means "you know everything about running an association." In 1985, he was granted the opportunity to put his new skills to work as the new president of the Ontario Accommodation Association (OAA).

Based in Peterborough since the late 1970s, the association, founded in 1949, currently has some 600 members province-wide -- motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, lodges and some hotels. Most are family-owned and operated. OAA represents their interests to government and other bodies with jurisdiction over the industry.

"It was an exciting time and a scary time," recalls Mr. Gravel of the move to Peterborough.

"It was my first time being president of an association. It was our first house in the country. What did I know about wells and septic tanks and all the other fun things associated with rural life. It was stressful looking back but you find a way."

With Francis' help -- he hired her as part-time bookkeeper in January 1986 -- Mr. Gravel quickly put his own stamp on the association while ensuring its core mission -- advocating on behalf of members while providing money-saving benefits and services to them -- was maintained and enhanced. But more notably, he brought his love of, and flair for, writing to the job.

"I've been writing since I was a teen," says Mr. Gravel.

When he was in Grade 8, he sold, for a then hefty $50, a story on stargazing to a Scouting magazine.

"I had a knack for writing and, yeah, a talent for it."

Years later, as OAA president, he's put that talent to work time and time again, writing on industry-related developments and trends. The platforms for his writing include a four-times-per-year newsletter, The Accommodator; The Innkeepers' Reference Book, first published in 1990 and now in its fifth edition; and an e-bulletin titled Traveler's Companion. And then there's the Traveller's Companion directory put together by Francis, an extensive listing of OAA members' establishments now in its 12th edition.

"I'd say 50 per cent of my job is writing," assesses Mr. Gravel.

Association members, he adds, are facing a tough go of it.

"We're surviving but it's a very soft tourism climate right now. The recovery has been unlike any other previous. There hasn't been the usual rebound. Add to that the fact that the number of American visitors has fallen off. Our dollar is at parity with the American dollar and Americans need passports to get back across the border. It's been challenging to say the least."

Still, ever the optimist, Mr. Gravel maintains the association gives members a power-in-numbers advantage as they benefit from lower merchant credit card rates, lower group insurance costs and, as mentioned, a stronger voice before government and industry-regulating bodies.

"You've got to remember that, by far, most of our members are mom-and-pop operations. They don't have the clout of the bigger chains. The association gives them some clout when they're livelihood is threatened."

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"Being in the motel business, I always look for books on hospitality. Unfortunately, good ones are rare. I found this book to be everything I was looking for. Funny, easy to read and oh so true. Very recommended. It will put a smile on your face."

In his five-star Amazon.com review of Inn-Sanity: Diary of an Innkeeper Virgin, C.B. Zucker doesn't mince words when it comes to describing his enjoyment of Bruce Gravel's second book and first humour novel. Published in September 2009, the content is based on hundreds of true-life incidents that have been related to the author over the years. Mr. Gravel terms it his "love letter to the industry."

"Years ago, Francis and I were at a Wingfield play...halfway through it, I had an epiphany," relates Mr. Gravel.

"I mean, here was a guy who left the city to move to the country to farm, so there was that similarity. I thought, 'Why don't I do something like Wingfield?" As president of the association, I'm out there. There were all these incidents that had been related to me. I have this stuff. I have to use it."

Inn-Sanity was preceded in 2008 by Humour On Wry, With Mustard, described by Mr. Gravel as "funny tales of everyday life and whimsical observations of the world around us." In November 2010, Humour On Wry, With Mayo was published, followed, in July of this year, by Humour On Wry, With Ketchup.

The tie that binds each book has been Mr. Gravel's sampling the material for Francis and, at times, Scott, who's employed as a technical director at CTV in Toronto.

"They're both quite creative. Many times their feedback sparks something new and off I go. Their input is reflected in a lot of what I write."

Aided by "a growing file" of new material, Mr. Gravel says a sequel to Inn-Sanity is in the works. As well, Humour On Rye, With Salsa is planned as the fourth installment of his so-called Condiment Series. Why salsa? "Spicier" stories, notes a smiling Mr. Gravel.

"Writing has been a huge outlet for me," notes Mr. Gravel.

"It's helped me get through some trying times, so it's been therapeutic in that sense. I can't imagine a time when I'm not writing to some degree. It's part of me."